姉ねえさん

also: あねさん

ね

え

さ

ん

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

noun

older sister; elder sister

honorific or respectful (sonkeigo)

Respectful or familiar noun/title for an older sister. This sense is usually written 姉さん; it is softer and more address-like than plain 姉.

姉ねえさんに宿しゅく題だいを手伝てつだってもらった。
I had my older sister help me with my homework.
姉ねえさん、明日あしたひま？
Sis, are you free tomorrow?

noun

young lady; miss

Vocative use for addressing a young woman. Without お, it can sound familiar, casual, old-fashioned, or slightly rough depending on the speaker and situation.

姉ねえさん、これ落おとしましたよ。
Miss, you dropped this.

noun

miss; waitress; bar woman

Used to address or refer to a waitress, hostess, or woman serving customers, especially in older or more rough-and-ready settings. This use is usually written 姐さん.

姐ねえさん、熱あつ燗かんを一いっ本ぽんお願ねがいします。
Miss, one hot sake, please.

noun

ma'am; senior woman

Specialized use in the geisha world: a geisha may use 姐さん for a senior woman or superior. This sense is usually written 姐さん.

新しん人じんの芸げい者しゃは姐ねえさんに作さ法ほうを教おそわった。
The new geisha learned the proper etiquette from her senior.

See all 16 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉〉を姉ねえさんと呼よぶto call someone 'nee-san'
近きん所じょの子こ供どもたちは彼かの女じょを姉ねえさんと呼よんでいる。
The neighborhood kids call her 'nee-san'.
姉ねえさん、〈物もの〉〉お願ねがいしますcalling out to a waitress to order something
姉ねえさん、生なまビールお願ねがいします。
Miss, a draft beer, please.

Kanji

姉elder sister
姐elder sister, maidservant

Related words

姉あねN5sense 1
姉さん is a warmer, more address-like way to refer to or call one's older sister, while 姉 is the plain, neutral word used mainly when talking about her to others.
姉あね御ご sense 4
姐御 is a rougher, tougher-sounding word for a senior boss-like woman (often underworld slang), while 姐さん/姉さん is the milder term used in the geisha world for a senior woman.
お姉ねえさんN5
姉さん is a slightly less formal address term than お姉さん, dropping the polite お prefix while keeping the same meaning.

Opposites

妹いもうとN5sense 1
姉さん means one's older sister, while 妹 means one's younger sister, the direct opposite family relation.

Politeness

お姉ねえさんpolite 丁寧語N5sense 1
お姉さん adds the polite お- prefix, making it the safer, more polite choice for addressing someone else's older sister or an unknown young woman, whereas plain 姉さん can sound more familiar or casual.
姉ねえちゃんplain
姉さん is a more polite, respectful way to refer to or address an older sister or young woman, while 姉ちゃん is casual and affectionate.

Counted with

人にん
counter for people

Word family

お姉ねえさんN5
older sister; elder sister · young lady; miss · waitress; miss · ma'am; senior geisha · older girl
大おお姉ねえさん
eldest older sister (honorific)
小ちい姉ねえさん
youngest older sister
お義ね姉えさん
sister-in-law (older) · older stepsister; older adopted sister; non-blood-related older sister

Written forms

姉さん
- ねえさん
  Main high-priority spelling and reading; usual for an older sister and also used in some forms of address.
- あねさん
  Attested alternate reading. It is much less common than ねえさん and can sound traditional or be encountered in set expressions.
姐さん
- ねえさん
  Alternative spelling with a more traditional, trade-world, or tough nuance; especially usual for addressing waitresses, geisha seniors, and similar roles.
- あねさん
  Less common attested reading of 姐さん; useful for recognizing traditional or stylized uses.
あねさん

Etymology

姉 means 'older sister' and さん is the honorific suffix. 姐 is an alternative character associated with an older or senior woman in certain traditional or occupational contexts; the word's historical development is not specified.